Russian Leaf Pattern Samples

Lately I've been working on trying to come up with as many designs as I can think of for making "Russian Leaf Earrings". I have made some very pretty designs but I am getting a little tired of using the same favorites over and over in different colorways. The thing is that these earrings are so small that the options are kind of limited because you can only fit so many design elements in the space that's available. I've still got several more ideas to try but I thought I had better take photos of these samples while we had a few minutes of sunshine yesterday. At least I can show you that I have actually been doing some beading and haven't abandoned this blog. Besides the lousy weather, I've been super busy with other things since my last post.

When I make complete pairs of earrings with some of these designs, I will type up the step-by-step bead pick-up instructions and create the color charts for you to download.

• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Opaque Persimmon" (DB2108)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Matte Bone Glazed Luster" (DB388)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Dyed Tiffany Blue" (DB2133)

I made the sample above first. While I was pretty happy with the design, I wasn't crazy about the arrangement of the colors. The blue seems out of place and the dot in the center of the blue diamond should have been a lighter color. One thing that I tried with this earring was not using any metallic Delicas. I usually make a point of having some metallic beads but I wanted to see how this would look. I'm undecided at this point.

• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Metallic Light Bronze" (DB22L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Opaque Persimmon" (DB2108)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Matte Bone Glazed Luster" (DB388)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Dyed Tiffany Blue" (DB2133)

This sample earring has the same bead colors as the first one but they are arranged in a more pleasing manner. I also added some light bronze Delicas for the "fringes". I like this one very much.

• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Dyed Opaque Anemone" (DB2140)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Opaque Black" (DB10)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Nickel Plated" (DB21)

I was so unhappy with this design that I didn't bother to finish the top of it. There isn't enough contrast between the purple and black and the three "flower" shapes look too much like two eyes and a nose. I will scrap this design.

• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Metallic Light Bronze" (DB22L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Opaque Persimmon" (DB2108)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Dyed Tiffany Blue" (DB2133)

Next I thought I'd play around with different arrangements of stripes and I'm pretty happy with this one. The only thing that I'm not sure about is near the bottom of the earring. I think there may be too many blue beads there but I'm not sure if I should add some of the rusty colored beads at the bottom point. I will make another sample and try out that idea. This color scheme isn't that great but I was just using some of the bead colors that I already had out.

• 8/0 seed beads Toho "Nickel Plated" (711)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Opaque Limestone Luster" (DB211)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Opaque Antique Rose" (DB1376)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Nickel Plated" (DB21)

This time I tried stripes that follow the shape of the earring. I like the effect but not in these colors. After making this sample, I decided that there should be one more silver Delica at the bottom the "V" opening. You will see how that looks in the next two samples which are both based on this same striped design.

• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Metallic Light Bronze" (DB22L)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Matte Opaque Sea Foam Glazed Luster" (DB374)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Matte Galvanized Yellow Gold" (DB1833F)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Matte Galvanized Berry" (DB1838F)

Here you can see how much better the earring looks with a bronze bead in the crook of the "V". I like this colorway very much but then I've used it before to make some fringe earrings for myself. You can see them in THIS post. While I like the idea of having a thin outline of Delicas around the inside of the earring, it can tend to look wonky if the earring hasn't been shaped and stabilized perfectly. Since these are all just samples, I haven't brushed nail polish on the backs of them so that I can take them apart and re-use the beads.

• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Opaque Aloe Luster" (DB263)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Matte Bone Glazed Luster" (DB388)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Galvanized Cinnamon Brown" (DB460)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Matte Copper Plated" (DB340)

This is also a colorway that I've used before to make a pair of fringe earrings. You can see those earrings HERE. I didn't finish this sample because I knew pretty much right away that the arrangement of the colors wasn't right. I've decided that I'd rather use this colorway with a different design.

I will keep on trying more designs and see what else I can come up with. In the meantime...

To learn how to make "Russian Leaf Earrings", watch Jill Wiseman's YouTube video tutorial HERE and download her free PDF HERE. You will need to follow Jill's tutorial but make them with seven rows instead of nine as Jill instructs.

Read THIS post where I explain how I finish and reinforce my Russian Leaf earrings. I also have information about how I stiffen my earrings in THIS post.
You can buy Delica beads at Red Panda, Aura Crystals, Supply Emporium and Jill Wiseman Designs.
 

SuperDuo Flower Chain Variation

SUPERDUO FLOWER CHAIN VARIATION

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Dark Bronze" (457)
• 12mm Czech flower button "Golden Pink Picasso"
• SuperDuo beads "Crystal Gold Luster"

A while back Claire from Supply Emporium sent me a bunch of these pretty Czech flower buttons to use for making button clasps. I have so many of them in these two colors that I really wanted to come up with a way to make a bracelet with some of them. I looked through my patterns for ideas and the one that looked the most like it would work is my free "SuperDuo Flower Chain" pattern which you can download HERE.

Here is one of my original "SuperDuo Flower Chain" bracelets for comparison:

I kept the main SuperDuo flower motifs but replaced the connector motifs with the buttons and a few seed beads. I took photos of the bracelet from the back so that you can see how I connected the buttons to the flower motifs. Here is a close-up:

Here is the entire bracelet from the back:

Supply Emporium is out of the buttons with the pink centers but Claire does have the Aged Bronze ones HERE. Click on the "Buttons" category to see a few other nice colors.

SUPERDUO FLOWER CHAIN VARIATION

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
• 12mm Czech flower button "Aged Bronze"
• SuperDuo beads "Chocolate Bronze"

It was challenging to find SuperDuos and seed beads that go well with these two button colors so I used basic metallics for both of them. Although the buttons in the bracelet above have some reddish coral in the centers, the over all color is neutral enough to wear this with a lot of things.

 

Russian Leaf Earrings - White Luster & Gold

RUSSIAN LEAF EARRINGS

• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Gold" (4202)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Duracoat Galvanized Gold" (DB1832)
• 11/0 Miyuki Delica beads "Opaque White Luster" (DB201)

       
Last year I blogged about some "Russian Leaf Earrings" identical to this pair but I used ivory Delicas. Read about them HERE. This time I used pure white Delicas that have a pearly luster finish.
To learn how to make "Russian Leaf Earrings", watch Jill Wiseman's YouTube video tutorial HERE and download her free PDF HERE. You will need to follow Jill's tutorial but make them with seven rows instead of nine as Jill instructs. 

Download my free earring color chart for this design from THIS post. It's not a tutorial for making Russian Leaf earrings so you will still need to follow Jill's tutorial if you don't already know how to make them. My color chart describes when to pick up each bead color to make the design on these earrings.

Read THIS post where I explain how I finish and reinforce my Russian Leaf earrings. I also have information about how I stiffen my earrings in THIS post.


You can buy Delica beads at Red Panda, Aura Crystals, Supply Emporium and Jill Wiseman Designs.

Lattice Gates Variation - Chalk White Matted

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Metallic Chocolate" (461)
• 12mm Pyramid beads "Chalk White Matted"
• SuperDuo beads "Matte Chalk Picasso"

This is the third colorway that I made by adapting Norma Jean Dell's "Lattice Gates Bracelet" pattern using 12mm Pyramid beads instead of CzechMates tiles. You can buy her pattern HERE.

Red Panda has these Pyramid beads HERE. Unfortunately, these SuperDuos aren't available anywhere that I know of.

Lattice Gates Variation - Chalk Vega Luster

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki/Czech "Black Bronze" (CZ55030)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki/Czech "Black Bronze" (CZ55030)
• 12mm Pyramid beads "Chalk White Vega Luster Matted"
• SuperDuo beads "Jet Bronze aka Dark Bronze"

Read yesterday's post HERE for more information about this adaptation of Norma Jean Dell's "Lattice Gates Bracelet" pattern using 12mm Pyramid beads instead of CzechMates tiles. You can buy her pattern HERE.

Red Panda has these Pyramid beads HERE.

Lattice Gates Variation - Lila Vega Luster

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Pewter" (4222)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Duracoat Pewter" (4222)
• 12mm Pyramid beads "Chalk White Matted Lila Vega Luster"
• SuperDuo beads "Jet Old Silver"

Back in 2015, I came up with a single row variation of Norma Jean Dell's "Lattice Gates Bracelet" pattern using Silky beads instead of CzechMates tiles. You can buy her pattern HERE on Etsy. I call my Silky bead version "Sandra Silky Bracelet". I have made my version quite a few times over the years and you can read some of my posts HERE, HERE and HERE.

Last year, I was given some unusual Pyramid beads in three wonderful grungy matte colors that have the look of stone. I finally had a chance to make something with them a few days ago and "Lattice Gates" was a perfect pattern to use. The main "Lattice Gates" motif was just the thing to go in between the Pyramid beads because they're close to the same size and they're somewhat squarish in shape. The bracelet has a chunky look but it's not heavy.

I had to really hunt through my bead stash to find SuperDuos that would complement the colors of the Pyramid beads because they don't make them in any of those colors. For today's bracelet I just used pewter colored beads and I think that this one is my favorite of the three bracelets. I will show you the other two colorways tomorrow and on Sunday.

Red Panda has these Pyramid beads HERE.

 

Free Beading Pattern - Tiny Kite Earrings

TINY KITE EARRINGS

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki/Czech "Black Bronze" (CZ55030)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki/Czech "Black Bronze" (CZ55030)
• Kite beads "Turquoise Laser Bronze Matte Feather"
• SuperDuo beads "Matte Dark Bronze"

After making the "Harlequin Bracelet" above which I blogged about HERE, I really needed to make some earrings to go with it. The colors are so unusual that none of my store bought earrings go well with it. Plus, the earrings really needed to have some of the same Kite beads in them because there are no other kinds of beads that are that turquoise color. My dilemma was that I had exactly two of those pretty Kite beads left and there are no earring patterns that I'm aware of that only require one Kite bead per earring. So, I came up with my own design which I call "Tiny Kite Earrings". They really are super tiny and only take a few minutes to make. After making this pair, I made some to go with my other two "Harlequin" bracelets and you can see them below.

Click HERE to download the free "Tiny Kite Earrings" pattern.

If you like this pattern, please consider making a voluntary donation through PayPal using the DONATE button on the right.

NOTE: I don't mind if you sell the projects that you make with my patterns, but please mention that you got the pattern from Linda's Crafty Inspirations. Please contact me for information about teaching this or any of our other patterns in a class.

TINY KITE EARRINGS

• 11/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• 8/0 seed beads Miyuki "Light Bronze" (457L)
• Kite beads "White Red Luster"
• SuperDuo beads "Crystal Gold Luster"

I blogged about the matching dusty rose bracelet HERE. They don't make SuperDuos in the same color as the Kite beads or the cabochons so I had to use bronze ones.

TINY KITE EARRINGS

• 11/0 seed beads Toho "Nickel Plated" (711)
• 8/0 seed beads Toho "Nickel Plated" (711)
• Kite beads "Jet Matte"
• SuperDuo beads "Metalust Burnt Copper"

I blogged about the matching black and copper bracelet HERE. These SuperDuos are a little darker color than the copper beads in the bracelet but they're close enough.